Chapter 590 The Mighty Little Zhuangzhuang (First Update)
The unexpected sound made Prince An's heart skip a beat, and his body trembled involuntarily.
This reaction naturally did not escape the notice of Grand Tutor Zhuang.
Grand Tutor Zhuang stared coldly at his retreating figure: "Where do you think you're going so late?"
Prince An forced himself to calm down. He slowly turned around and said to Grand Tutor Zhuang with his expression as normal as possible, "I... I left something outside. Go out and look for it."
Grand Tutor Zhuang looked at him dangerously: "Really? You forgot something and are going out to look for it in the middle of the night?"
Prince An broke out in a cold sweat: "I...I lost my token, the token of the Zhuang family."
"Is that so?" Grand Tutor Zhuang strolled toward Prince An.
Prince An felt an immense aura and pressure; more sweat beaded on his forehead, and his throat bobbed in fear.
Grand Tutor Zhuang stopped in front of him, raised his hand and pulled him to the waist: "Then tell me, what is this?"
Prince An's eyes flashed, and he said awkwardly, "I... I thought my token was hanging on my waist... I thought I had lost it..."
Grand Tutor Zhuang said coldly, "Zhuang Yuheng, how long are you going to keep up this act?"
Prince An said, "What is Grandfather saying? Does this grandson not understand?"
Grand Tutor Zhuang gritted his teeth: "Don't understand? Fine, I'll ask you, what were you doing in my study just now?"
“I…” Prince An’s chest heaved heavily, and he could no longer hide the guilt he had been trying so hard to suppress in his eyes. He glanced at the token in Grand Tutor Zhuang’s hand and said, “This is what I’m looking for!”
Grand Tutor Zhuang was utterly exasperated: "You dropped a token from outside the mansion to inside? Could you have a more lame excuse? Zhuang Yuheng, you're my grandson, can't you even tell a lie?"
Prince An opened his mouth: "Grandfather..."
Grand Tutor Zhuang looked at him coldly: "This is the entrance to a private residence, with so many servants watching. I don't want to embarrass you! Hand over the goods obediently!"
Prince An avoided Grand Tutor Zhuang's sharp gaze: "What is that? I don't understand."
Grand Tutor Zhuang said sternly, "Now you're calling me 'grandson' all the time? Zhuang Yuheng, you're still too green to try and play tricks on me! Are you going to hand it over yourself, or will I have it searched on you? This is your last chance! Don't think that just because you're my grandson I won't hurt you! If you dare to disobey me again, I'll pretend I don't have a grandson at all!"
"Empress Dowager?" shouted the Grand Tutor Zhuang of the Anjun Dynasty from behind.
Grand Tutor Zhuang subconsciously turned around and looked back.
Prince An turned and ran!
Grand Tutor Zhuang was furious; his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his shoulders trembled uncontrollably: "Bring him back to me!"
Two guards rushed out of the door, and Prince An was captured by them after only a few steps.
The two men carried Prince An back to the main gate.
"Close the door." Grand Tutor Zhuang didn't want passersby to see.
The servant nervously closed the door.
He almost let the prince go just now; he wonders if the master will be angry.
Grand Tutor Zhuang had no time to punish the servants at this moment. He dismissed them and left only two trusted guards.
He looked at Prince An, who was being held captive before him, and said, "Do you think you can successfully leave with the goods? Do you think you'll be long gone by the time I find out? Zhuang Yuheng, who gave you that confidence?"
Prince An did not answer his question, but instead asked, "Grandfather, why are you colluding with the people of Yan?"
Grand Tutor Zhuang narrowed his eyes: "Who told you that?"
Prince An said, “Grandfather, you don’t need to know who told me. You just need to answer yes or no.”
Grand Tutor Zhuang was naturally not going to be led by the nose: "So you came here to steal the imperial edict? I don't care what rumors you've heard outside, you'd better keep your mouth shut!"
A deep sense of disappointment flashed across Prince An's eyes: "So Grandfather really colluded with the Yan people! What exactly does Grandfather want to do? Rebel!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang roared, "Kneel down!"
Prince An refused to kneel, so a guard kicked him in the back of the knee, forcing him to kneel on the ground.
Grand Tutor Zhuang said, "Search his body!"
Prince An said coldly, "Insolence! I am a prince personally appointed by His Majesty! Don't you want your heads?"
The guard hesitated for a moment.
Grand Tutor Zhuang shouted sternly, "Search!"
The guards continued to search Prince An's body, but no matter how much he struggled, it was to no avail.
However, since the imperial edict was not a hard object, it could not be felt by stabbing it.
Grand Tutor Zhuang paused for a moment: "Take off his clothes and tear them apart!"
Prince An resisted fiercely, but the two men pinned him to the ground, drawing blood from his elbows and knees.
The two of them peeled and dismantled the garments as they went, until in the end they were practically left with only a pair of big shorts.
"Sir, no!"
Prince An curled up, shivering on the cold ground.
Grand Tutor Zhuang was so angry that he kicked him: "Where did you hide the imperial edict?!"
"Master! Master, something terrible has happened! The study is on fire!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang's pupils contracted as he looked again at Prince An, who was trembling coldly on the ground. Prince An's lips curled into a triumphant smile as he weakly said, "This... did Grandfather foresee this?"
When Grand Tutor Zhuang rushed to the study, the fire had already grown out of control.
The steward said anxiously, "...I don't know how it started to burn. By the time I saw the flames and rushed over, it was already out of control. However, I managed to get the seal and memorials from your desk..."
Yes, most people, when faced with such a fire, would naturally grab what they think Grand Tutor Zhuang cares about first, and wouldn't pay attention to anything else.
Grand Tutor Zhuang stood before the raging fire, calmed himself down, and carefully reviewed the events, finally understanding what had happened.
First of all, Zhuang Yuheng's return must have ulterior motives, and I have always trusted this grandson too much. Even though he ran away from home, I don't think he could do anything more outrageous.
Secondly, he realized that he couldn't possibly take the imperial edict far away, so he simply hid it in a corner of his study and burned it!
When he came out of the tea room, the servant told him that Zhuang Yuheng had returned once. So he immediately went to the study to check the painting and found that the imperial edict inside was missing. He immediately realized that Zhuang Yuheng had stolen it.
Zhuang Yuheng must have started the fire from a corner hidden by the bookshelf.
He was in a hurry to retrieve the imperial edict, so he went in and came out immediately, and therefore did not notice the small flame in the corner.
Zhuang Yuheng, oh Zhuang Yuheng, you've really grown up since I last saw you!
That imperial edict was not only Qin Fengyan's trump card, but also Grand Tutor Zhuang's biggest trump card for turning the tide. What was the late emperor's edict? It was the legitimate succession, and its prestige was above that of the current emperor!
As long as he produces the imperial edict to establish the other princes and nobles as emperors, he will surely have ministers who will be loyal and follow him. At that time, with his years of influence and the assistance of the Nangong family of Yan, how could he not succeed!
But now, this will has been destroyed by his most favored grandson!
Grand Tutor Zhuang's anger was enough to burn Prince An a hundred times over!
He stormed to the gate of the mansion, only to find that Prince An's clothes had been torn to shreds and that he was now covered by a guard's outer robe.
Grand Tutor Zhuang was not one to act rashly, but he could no longer restrain himself: "Zhuang Yuheng, you're very good, very good! You don't want to live anymore, do you? Fine! I'll grant your wish! Guards! Drag him away! Beat him to death!"
We're better off without this traitorous grandson!
"grandfather!"
Zhuang Yuexi suddenly rushed over and threw herself on Prince An, turning to look at her grandfather: "Grandfather, please don't hit my brother!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang was furious: "Are you going to oppose me too?"
Zhuang Yuexi crawled to him on her knees and hugged his legs: "Grandfather! Please don't be angry with my brother! He didn't mean it! Please forgive him!"
Grand Tutor Zhuang kicked Zhuang Yuexi away: "Hurry up and do it!"
Two guards restrained Prince An.
"Let go of my brother!" Zhuang Yuexi lunged forward again, biting the wrist of one of the guards.
"What are you standing there for!" Grand Tutor Zhuang shouted at Zhuang Yuexi's maids and servants.
The maids and servants rushed forward and pulled Zhuang Yuexi away.
Zhuang Yuexi struggled desperately, tears streaming down her face: "Grandfather! Grandfather! My brother is your own grandson! You can't kill him! If you want to hit someone, hit me instead! I'm willing to take the punishment in my brother's place! Grandfather! Grandfather, hit me instead! Don't hit my brother! No...no..."
Grand Tutor Zhuang completely ignored his granddaughter's cries and pleas, and ordered his men to gag her and drag her away.
He looked at Prince An with an icy expression: "Execute him!"
Knock knock knock!
Suddenly, a loud banging sound came from outside the door.
Grand Tutor Zhuang frowned: "Who is it?"
"Open the door! The Ministry of Justice is investigating! Anyone who disobeys will be imprisoned!"
With a cold face, Grand Tutor Zhuang ordered one of the guards to open the door.
Vice Minister Li calmly walked in with the arrest warrant from the Ministry of Justice. He glanced at Prince An, who was too late to be dragged away, and then gave Grand Tutor Zhuang a very official bow, handing over the warrant: "Grand Tutor Zhuang, your grandson Zhuang Yuheng is suspected of murder. I have been ordered to arrest the suspect Zhuang Yuheng. I hope that you will not obstruct my investigation."
...
Prince An was shackled and put into a prison cart.
Halfway there, Li Shilang released Prince An.
Prince An boarded the carriage that had been waiting in the alley for a long time, and unsurprisingly, he saw Xiao Heng.
"You really are..."
Prince An wanted to say, "You really dare to do that, even impersonating the Ministry of Justice."
The words were on the tip of her tongue when she thought that this guy could even forge imperial edicts, so what else wouldn't he dare to do?
Prince An raised an eyebrow and said, "I can get out on my own without your help!"
"You're welcome," Xiao Heng said calmly.
"Hmph." Prince An turned his face away.
The two returned to Bishui Hutong. When Prince An changed his clothes and came out, Princess Xinyang also arrived.
This was the first time Prince An had seen her. He was unaware of Xiao Heng's true identity and was quite surprised by her sudden visit.
He didn't know, and he didn't dare to ask.
"Where is the imperial edict? Was it really burned?" Princess Xinyang asked.
The three of them sat in Xiao Heng's study.
“No, I brought it with me.” Prince An took out a blank imperial edict and placed it on the table.
Princess Xinyang picked up the imperial edict, her fingertips gently tracing its texture and patterns: "As expected of the late emperor's edict, even the paper is different from what we use now, so smooth. It's said to be made of a special kind of bamboo, with a faint bamboo fragrance. By the way, how did you bring it out? Weren't you searched?"
Prince An scratched his head: "They did search us, but... they didn't expect me to have the imperial edict sewn there."
Princess Xinyang brought the imperial edict to her nose and inhaled its fragrance, closing her eyes in ecstasy as she asked, "Where?"
Prince An: "Inside the underwear."
Thud.
Princess Xinyang dropped the imperial edict from her hand!
(End of this chapter)
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